Pavers as constructed in accordance with the prior art utilize flight chains having transverse bars for conveying asphalt from the hopper rearwardly often for side delivery by means of augers for carrying the asphalt towards each side of the paver for delivery and subsequent spreading through the use of a screed bar and the like. The flight chains constructed in accordance with the prior art were of the type which is permanently fixed beneath a central opening in the hopper, with the bottom of the hopper extending partially across the flight chain to avoid the asphalt pouring out around the sides of the flight chain assembly. The mounting of the flight chain assembly, together with the extension of the bottom of the hopper partially thereacross, necessitates bringing the entire paver back to the shop and turning same upsidedown to gain access to the flight chain assembly. Since the flight chain is subject to relatively frequent breakdowns due to damage through excessive asphalt buildups and the like, the requirement for returning the paver to the shop and the prodigious efforts necessary to effect repairs, results in expensive machine downtime.
Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a paver having a flight chain assembly and hopper mounting such that the flight chain assembly may be removed from the paver as a unit for facilitating repair through the expedient of utilizing removable hopper flaps which replace the portion of the hopper bottom which extends across the flight chain in prior art pavers.
Another important object of the invention is to provide unitary flight chain assemblies which are removably mounted beneath the hopper so that they may be removed as a unitary member for repair and temporarily replaced with a spare assembly so that machine down time may be further reduced.